Sugar cane extracts for use in animal feeds

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to animal supplements and feeds comprising an extract derived from sugar cane, in particular, animal supplements and feeds comprising a polyphenolic extract derived from sugar cane. The disclosure also relates to animal supplements, animal feeds, methods and uses for improving or maintaining the health of animals to the benefit of improved food production and food quality.

1 . A method of reducing feed conversion ratio (FCR) in a healthy food producing animal selected from the group consisting of aquatic animals, insects, amphibians, reptiles, gastropods, birds, monogastric non-human animals, ruminants and pseudo-ruminants comprising providing the animal with a feed which includes an extract produced by steps consisting essentially of:
 filtering dunder to provide a supernatant and concentrating the supernatant to provide an extract with a minimum Brix of 55° and comprising from about 10 catechin equivalents (CE) g/L to about 100 CE g/L of polyphenols and about 1 CE g/L to about 15 CE g/L of flavonoids or from about 100 CE mg/g to about 1000 CE mg/g of polyphenols and about 10 CE mg/g to about 150 CE mg/g of flavonoids;   the extract being present in the feed in an amount of about 0.01 to 5 wt %.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal is an aquatic animal is selected from the group comprising fish, finfish, pangus, tilapia, shellfish, a crustacean, crabs, crayfish, lobsters, prawns, shrimp, a mollusc, clams, mussels, oysters, scallops and winkles. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal is a bird is selected from the group comprising chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animal is a monogastric non-human animal selected from the group consisting of rodents, cats, dogs and pigs. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a ruminant selected from the group consisting of cattle, sheep, goats and deer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a pseudo-ruminant selected from the group consisting of horses, rabbits and guinea pigs. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises from about 10 CE g/L to 80 CE g/L of polyphenols or from about 100 CE mg/g to about 800 CE mg/g of polyphenols. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises from: about 2 CE g/L to 10 CE g/L of flavonoids or from about 20 CE mg/g to about 100 CE mg/g of flavonoids. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is present in the feed in an amount of about 0.1-4 wt %. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises from: about 1 CE g/L to about 15 CE g/L of flavonoids or from about 10 CE mg/g to about 150 CE mg/g of flavonoids; about 3 CE g/L to about 10 CE g/L of flavonoids or from about 30 CE mg/g to about 100 CE mg/g of flavonoids; or about 5 CE g/L to about 8 CE g/L of flavonoids or from about 50 CE mg/g to about 80 CE mg/g of flavonoids. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyphenols comprise one or more of syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, sinaptic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, diosmin, diosmetin, apigenin, vitexin, orientin, homoorientin, swertisin, tricin, (+)catechin, (−)catechin gallate, (−)epicatechin, quercetin, kaempherol, myricetin, rutin, schaftoside, isoschaftoside, luteolin and scoparin. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyphenols comprise syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, vitexin, swertisin, and tricin. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is in a form selected from the group comprising a mash, crumble, pellet, syrup, liquid and a powder which is optionally spray-dried, freeze-dried or drum-dried. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is a syrup and the polyphenols comprise chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is a syrup and the syrup has a pH value of 4 to pH 5. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is a syrup and the syrup has a density of 1.20 g/mL to 1.40 mg/mL. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises iron bound to the polyphenols. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the extract is a syrup and the syrup comprises: calcium; and/or iron; and/or magnesium; and/or potassium; and/or sodium.